One thing that my Sony Reader and the Sony ebook store is doing very well is introducing me to authors that I haven’t read yet. Today’s example: T.A. Pratt. I’ve just finished a free copy of Blood Engines which is the first in a series of urban fantasy starring Marla Mason, the top sorcerer of a city called Felport, and therefore the big boss of that place. Interestingly enough, we don’t spend any time there-the entirety of this novel is spent in San Francisco. Marla is no fluttery veils and Glinda-y sweetness; she’s tough, absolutely self-centered, convinced of her total infallibility, and just an all around bad-ass.
The book drops you down in the middle of the action, doesn’t take the time to gently introduce you to anyone, and brings so many different fantastical ideas together it almost makes your head spin. (Aztec gods & blood sacrifice, altered realities, Chinese snake deities, killer hummingbirds!, to name just a few) What a fun book! I’ve always been a big fan of strong female protagonists, and Marla is an alpha-female to say the least. The supporting cast members are no slouches either. I will definitely been reading other books in this series. My cynical nature says that these books are made available for just that reason, but in this case ti works. If you’re not a fan of fantasy, maybe this book isn’t for you but it is worth a try. It is no airy-fairy wish fulfillment story, that’s for sure.
